Sustainable Produce Overview

On March 31, 2015 chef Steven Satterfield(Miller Union), Jane Black(Author), Chris Hunt (GRACE Communications Foundation), Kathleen Phillips (Greener Fields Together),Gina Jones(Produce Marketing Association), andGina Nucci (Mann Packing) will help us learn what chefs need to know about creating a veggie-centric program that turns a profit, and explore the challenges of sourcing sustainable produce for your business year-round. This Chef Power Hour is generously sponsored by Greener Fields Together.

Call Outline:

1. Current vegetable consumption in the US

Trends, data, and the new USDA Dietary Guidelines

2. Chefs and vegetables

How chefs are featuring vegetables on their menus

Making a profit on vegetables – is it possible?

3. Supply and demand

Current pricing and demand for produce in the US

Broader consumer trends as they relate to vegetable consumption and nutritional awareness

4. Sourcing tips and tricks

Sourcing sustainable produce for your restaurant or business

Data on Current Vegetable Consumption in the US:

Market size

The final value of fresh produce sold through all marketing channels in the US was estimated at over $122.1 billion in 2010.

In 2008 the USDA estimated that only around 10% of fresh fruit and 20% of veggies were purchased in foodservice channels (lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes were the big exceptions). Seasonality, perishability, inconsistency, pricing, and supplier size were cited as obstacles to using more produce.

Consumer trends

Consumers have high expectations of the foods they eat and they look to fruits and vegetables to help them stay well, and produce is being incorporated into menus to add interest and make consumers feel better. Data Essentials reported at Produce Marketing Association’s 2014 Foodservice Conference that:

94% of consumers believed it’s important for restaurants to feature more produce, up from 80 percent the prior year

91% of operators believed it’s important for restaurants to feature more produce, up from 84 percent the prior year

90% of operators and consumers believed produce is important in making a dish authentic